May 24, 2021 - No. 40 In This Issue : Investments spur tech manufacturing at GlobalFoundries and Beta Technologies : Garmin (GRMN) Boosts Aviation Efforts With New Certification : DHS S&T Partners with South Korea for Cloud-Based Remote Baggage Screening : Air India discloses data of 4.5m passengers were stolen in SITA cyber attack : NANO TECH WILL LET RAAF AIRCRAFT SPOT FAST-MOVING DRONES : Cincinnati Airport Tests Autonomous Luggage Vehicle : Singapore Airlines Group commits to net zero carbon emissions : JetBlue founder's new airline to debut as travel revives : Alaska Airlines’ Sustainable Route To Electric Aircraft : AERION’S SUPERSONIC PLANS END WITH A WHIMPER RATHER THAN A BOOM : SpaceX’s NASA Starship contract safe for now as Blue Origin looks to Congress Investments spur tech manufacturing at GlobalFoundries and Beta Technologies Developments announced this week by a pair of Chittenden County businesses have strengthened the case for the region’s future as a hub of innovation — particularly in wireless technology and electric aircraft. Beta Technologies, a South Burlington-based electric aviation start-up, secured $368 million in private capital this week, bringing the company’s valuation up to $1.4 billion. The company also announced plans to build a production facility for electric aircraft at Burlington International Airport. GlobalFoundries, a New York-based microchip manufacturer and one of Vermont’s largest private employers, announced it will partner with Raytheon Technologies to develop and commercialize a special semiconductor component, or microchip, for the next generation of wireless infrastructure. GlobalFoundries will manufacture the chips at its plant in Essex Junction. Cathy Davis, president of the Lake Champlain Chamber of Commerce, said both companies are poised to bolster the region’s growing tech sector and secure more high-paying jobs. “It’s innovation and manufacturing,” Davis said. “The amount of talent and innovation that’s happening at both of those companies, in regard to the work they’re doing, I think is incredibly important.” The latest funding round for Beta Technologies comes on the heels of a deal with United Parcel Service in April to produce at least 10 aircraft — and potentially 150 more — for the shipping and logistics giant by 2024. Kyle Clark, founder and CEO of Beta, said the company is looking to add about 300 employees to an existing 230-person staff to meet production goals. Beta’s Alia aircraft is entirely electric and has a half-plane, half-helicopter design that enables vertical takeoffs and landings. The Department of Defense is interested in the potential of the technology for military applications. In early May, Alia became the first manned electric aircraft to receive airworthiness authorization by the U.S. Air Force for test flights through Agility Prime, a public-private funding program with the Department of Defense. The company was founded in 2017 and successfully partnered with United Therapeutics, a biotechnology company, to develop a prototype for transplant organs and tissues. The prototype led to a $48 million deal with United Therapeutics, and Beta signed a “similarly sized contract” with the U.S. Air Force, Clark said. Chris Carrigan, vice president of business development at the Vermont Chamber of Commerce, said Beta’s work signals a “paradigm shift” in logistics and travel. “It’s going to transform the way that we deliver goods and services, and how we travel regionally,” Carrigan said. Carrigan, who also manages the Vermont Aerospace and Aviation Association, said ground-up aircraft manufacturing has historically concentrated on just three main hubs worldwide: Seattle, home to Boeing; Montreal, home to a cluster of aerospace companies; and Toulouse, France, home to aerospace giant Airbus. Beta’s approach to building the aircraft from scratch “is really the first time it’s been done in New England,” Carrigan said. Beta is well positioned to scale up while staying local, Carrigan said. Under Vermont law, materials for the maintenance and repair of aircraft are exempt from the state’s aviation sales tax, which keeps costs down in the long term. In addition to the manufacturing facility, the company recently completed a 14,000-square-foot expansion of a hangar at Burlington International. Clark also expects to expand the facility that makes Beta’s charging stations, located in Williston. The partnership between GlobalFoundries, which employs more than 2,000 people at its Essex Junction plant, and Raytheon, an aerospace and defense company headquartered in Waltham, Mass., also bodes well. Raytheon’s proprietary “gallium nitride on silicon technology” will be licensed to GlobalFoundries as part of the agreement. For years, the industry trend was to drive down the size of microchips — but 5G wireless technology requires larger chips made with gallium nitride that can withstand more heat and tolerate higher voltage levels. GlobalFoundries already makes larger chips, which gives the company a competitive advantage. The partnership has the support of Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee. Leahy is a long-time backer of the GlobalFoundries plant in Essex, and its predecessor company, IBM, which at one point employed as many 8,000 people. “With announcements like this one, I see the potential for the future of American-made 5G and 6G running through Vermont,” Leahy said in a statement to VTDigger. The GlobalFoundries-Raytheon partnership is a testament to “how federal investments, like in research and development, can have profound economic benefits for Americans too,” Leahy said. A bill on the Senate floor this week would direct about $50 billion in emergency spending to stimulate development in the microchip industry, including GlobalFoundries. Leahy’s office confirmed that the senator also helped acquire an extra $25 million for the Agility Prime program from which Beta now benefits. GlobalFoundries will invest $1.4 billion to ramp up production of larger-sized chips at three more plants worldwide in order to address a nationwide microchip shortage. Carrigan said the GlobalFoundries-Raytheon partnership is a welcome addition to the state’s $3 billion manufacturing economy. “Any strategic investment in the Vermont plant is a good thing,” Carrigan said. Lindsay Kurrle, secretary of the Agency of Commerce and Community Development, said cutting-edge developments at GlobalFoundries and Beta could have draw workers to Vermont. It “not only attracts young talent from in and out of state,” Kurrle wrote in a statement to VTDigger, “but it provides community support, new and potential business partnerships and supply chain opportunities.” https://vtdigger.org/2021/05/23/investments-spur-tech-manufacturing-at-globalfoundries-and-beta-technologies/ Garmin (GRMN) Boosts Aviation Efforts With New Certification Garmin Ltd. GRMN is leaving no stone unturned to bolster the aviation business on the back of its robust autonomous flight solutions. The company’s GFC 500 autopilot received aSupplemental Type Certificate (“STC”) from Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA”) for use in select Piper PA-24 Comanche aircraft. The approval is a testament to the company’s focus on strengthening the aviation portfolio. Notably, the latest certification is applicable for the models — PA-24-180, PA-24-250, PA-24-260, PA-24-260B and PA-24-260C1. Notably, GFC 500 offers robust autopilot performance, strong reliability and advanced safety benefits. Further, it features superior in-flight characteristics and self-monitoring capabilities, and comes with minimal maintenance needs. It also features altitude pre-select, VNAV2, and altitude hold, vertical speed and heading modes. Additionally, GFC 500 integrates with GI 275 or G5 electronic flight instruments seamlessly. We note that the latest certification highlights the reliability of Garmin’s aviation technology. Growing Certifications The company’s aviation business is expected to benefit from the above-mentioned certification. Apart from the latest certification, GFC 500 digital autopilot received STC from FAA for use in Socata TB 20 and TB 21 aircraft. Also, its GFC 600 digital autopilot received STC from FAA for use in Beechcraft King Air C90 aircraft and E90 aircraft. Further, GFC 500 Autopilot received STC from FAA for use in the Cessna 172RG and Mooney M20 (C to G models) aircraft. Further, the G1000 NXi upgrade received certification for use in the Prodigy Flight Deck-equipped Embraer Phenom 300 business jet. Aviation in Focus We believe that the latest certification will drive the company’s top line, which has been gaining from the well-performing aviation business. Moreover, Garmin’s aviation business unit is expected to witness growth with the increasing adoption of Autoland. This, in turn, will likely drive the segment’s revenue growth. Moreover, the company’s family of autonomous safety solutions— Garmin Autonomi, which comprises Emergency Descent Mode and Electronic Stability and Protection, and Autoland—has emerged as a key catalyst of its aviation business. Apart from this, strengthening flight display and deck offerings by Garmin remain noteworthy. Further, the company’s aviation business remains robust with its solutions remaining popular at both OEM and aftermarket customers. https://finance.yahoo.com/news/garmin-grmn-boosts-aviation-efforts-145402817.html DHS S&T Partners with South Korea for Cloud-Based Remote Baggage Screening The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) has signed an agreement with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport of the Republic of Korea (MOLIT), which authorizes the two countries to conduct a field demonstration of S&T-funded technology in civil aviation security. This joint field demonstration will pilot the Common Viewer Air System, a cloud-based baggage pre-screening software system that will support the missions of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). The signed letter of intent results from ongoing collaboration among TSA, CBP, and their South Korean counterparts to share information, identify risks, and enhance safeguards to improve international aviation security. “With this pilot, security officers will be able to remotely screen checked baggage before arriving in the U.S. and landing at Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The goal is to maintain strong security while enhancing the passenger experience and providing another means of contactless screening,” explained David Taylor, S&T’s CBP Portfolio Manager. “CBP is appreciative of the partnerships that allow us to pilot the feasibility of screening images of every checked bag on an arriving flight before it lands in the U.S., all while enhancing the traveler’s experience by reducing the number of times they may need to collect and re-check baggage for connecting flights,” said Donald. F. Yando, CBP Director of Field Operations in Atlanta. “Through partnerships like this, we’re able to introduce innovative touchless technology that not only provides an additional layer of security, but also provides a safer, healthier, and more convenient process for international passengers,” said Gary Renfrow, Assistant Administrator for TSA International Operations. “Through training, mentorship, assessments, and information sharing, DHS S&T is pleased and honored to support DHS components and our international partners in strengthening global transportation security in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond,” said Robert Burns, Executive Director of S&T’s Office of Innovation and Collaboration. The field demonstration—or pilot program—facilitates alternative methods of TSA screening to be implemented at Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport and Incheon International Airport outside Seoul. Delta Air Lines, Inc. is participating in the program. “Our objective is to continue to work toward recognizing each other’s countermeasures to improve efficiency and decrease redundancy. A mutual goal for TSA and MOLIT is to achieve our security missions while streamlining the passenger experience as much as possible,” said Mr. Jin-hwan Yoon, Acting Deputy Minister for Civil Aviation Office, MOLIT. The joint pilot program will run in the summer of 2021. https://www.hstoday.us/subject-matter-areas/airport-aviation-security/dhs-st-partners-with-south-korea-for-cloud-based-remote-baggage-screening/ Air India discloses data of 4.5m passengers were stolen in SITA cyber attack Three months after global aviation industry IT supplier SITA fell victim to a cyber attack, Air India has disclosed the incident resulted in the data of around 4.5 million of its passengers being stolen. The breach involved personal data spanning almost 10 years, from 26 August 2011 to 3 February 2021, Air India said in a statement [PDF]. The stolen information included name, date of birth, contact information, passport information, ticket information, Star Alliance and Air India frequent flyer data, and credit card data. No frequent flyer passwords or CVV/CVC data were stolen, however, as this information was not held by SITA. SITA, an information technology and communications company, is the data processor of Air India's passenger service system. While the SITA cyber attack was first discovered at the end of February, Air India said it only understood the severity of the cyber attack last month. Since then, Air India has been conducting investigations, securing compromised servers, engaging external specialists, notifying and liaising with credit card issuers, and resetting passwords of the Air India FFP program, it said. When the cyber attack was disclosed, SITA said Star Alliance and One World airlines were affected. Alongside Air India, this included Finnair, Japan Airlines, Jeju Air, Lufthansa, Malaysia Airlines, Air New Zealand, Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines, among others. In March, Singapore Airlines disclosed 580,000 of its frequent flyer members were compromised in the cyber attack. According to SITA, the vendor serves around 90% of the world's airlines, which amounts to 2,800 customers including airlines, airports, and government agencies. Over the weekend, a handful of airlines were forced to cancel or delay flights after Sabre suffered a global IT outage. Virgin Australia, American Airlines, and Alaska Airlines were among the airlines affected. Sabre blamed the outage on its hardware provider, Dell EMC. "Dell/EMC has confirmed it experienced a hardware redundancy failure that impacted Sabre's system, including PSS and check-in," Sabre told ZDNet. "The issue has been resolved. Dell/EMC is working to understand why the failure occurred." https://www.zdnet.com/article/air-india-discloses-data-of-4-5m-passengers-were-stolen-in-sita-cyber-attack/ NANO TECH WILL LET RAAF AIRCRAFT SPOT FAST-MOVING DRONES The University of Sydney has developed a prototype sensor for the RAAF that allows aircraft to detect fast-moving drones. The MANTIS – Mutual-Axis Neuromorphic Twin Imaging System – is developed by the institution’s Nano Institute and uses technology that mimics a human brain. Air Vice-Marshal Cath Roberts, Head of Air Force Capability, said the level of detail the four-kilogram device provides is very impressive. “It’s a promising sensor fusion that has really strong potential across Defence,” she said. Professor Ben Eggleton, who leads the Jericho Lab team that created the prototype, said its neuromorphic sensors have “exquisite sensing capabilities” allowing it to see what can’t be seen with traditional cameras. Neuromorphic refers to a large-scale system of integrated circuits that mimic neurobiological architectures present in the nervous system. “It invokes the idea of the eye in animals but has leading-edge technology smarts built into it,” Professor Eggleton said. “When there is an event, the sensor has incredible sensitivity, dynamic range and speed. The data generated is elegantly interfaced with an IT platform allowing us to extract features using machine-learning artificial intelligence.” Professor Eggleton, director of Sydney Nano, said, “Combining traditional visual input with the neuromorphic sensor is inspired by nature. The praying mantis has five eyes – three simple eyes and two composite. Our prototype works a bit like this, too.” MANTIS is the result of the partnership between the University of Sydney’s Nano Institute and RAAF’s Jericho Disruptive Innovation team. The Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG) was also involved in the collaboration, providing early guidance and input. Earlier this month, Australian Aviation reported how Defence awarded a contract to a Melbourne-based firm to equip the Army’s drones with next-generation surveillance sensors. Ascent Vision Technologies’ ‘CM234 Spitfire camera gimbal’ uses infrared cameras to provide a more stable image during the day or night. Director General Army Aviation Systems, Brigadier James Allen, said, “The Spitfire camera gimbal is an extremely lightweight sensor package that provides a day-and-night surveillance and reconnaissance capability on the installed aircraft, which will significantly boost Army’s tactical UAS capabilities.” The sensor technology aims to enhance intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capability by leveraging an imaging system that uses electro-optical, short wave and medium wave infrared cameras, along with laser range finding and target designation technology. https://australianaviation.com.au/2021/05/nano-tech-will-let-raaf-aircraft-spot-fast-moving-drones/ Cincinnati Airport Tests Autonomous Luggage Vehicle May 21—Self-driving technology could take over the job of driving luggage movement vehicles at airports. Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) is experimenting with autonomous technology in the vehicles carrying luggage between the terminal and aircraft. One of the airport's luggage-transporting vehicles — known as ground tugs — has been outfitted with technology from ThorDrive, a maker of AV tech, to explore the various applications and use cases. "We enacted an ordinance allowing autonomous vehicles and equipment to operate on airport property," explained Mindy Kershner, a spokesperson for CVG. "Now, airline partners, both passenger and cargo, have the opportunity to partner with ThorDrive to utilize this technology to retrofit their ground equipment." The project began in February 2020, said Edward Shelton, vice president for business development at ThorDrive, a company formed in 2016. Earlier this year, the project moved into the actual testing phase. "In that time it was adapting the software to the environment, but also training it to recognize the aircraft," said Shelton. "There are other airports interested," he said of the ThorDrive AV technology. "But to our knowledge, no airport is as far along as Cincinnati is, and we believe that Cincinnati has the only active autonomous tractor running in North America." The autonomous vehicle at CVG still includes a human operator. Closed, relatively predictable settings like an airport can be ideal use cases for AVs, Shelton said. "For example, you don't have children running across the tarmac. You don't have just random pedestrians running around. So that factor ... is removed," he added. Other factors such as navigating a "highly critical safety environment" still loom large, said Shelton. Namely, avoiding a collision with an aircraft is of utmost importance. "That's a very expensive accident," he remarked. Airports and similar settings can also have fewer regulatory hurdles to get past than city streets do. "It's a private environment that's pretty much governed by the airport itself," Shelton said. "If the airport approved the use of the technology ... the stakeholders are known and motivated to move forward. "From there we just really need to get the ground-handling operator on board, and the airlines on board," he added. "And these things are moving forward." CVG has become a leader when it comes to technology and innovation. The airport has deployed a network of Internet of Things (IoT) sensors and other tech to better understand and manage the flow of people and baggage. It was the first airport in the United States to use IoT tech in its security screening area, starting in 2014. In that deployment, sensors pick up on passenger Wi-Fi and Bluetooth signals, marking when individuals enter and leave the Transportation Security Administration area. https://www.aviationpros.com/airports/airport-technology/news/21223971/cincinnati-airport-tests-autonomous-luggage-vehicle Singapore Airlines Group commits to net zero carbon emissions The Singapore Airlines (SIA) Group announced on Monday (24 May) that it would commit to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050. The group airlines, Singapore Airlines, Scoot and SIA Cargo, will invest in new-generation aircraft, adopt low-carbon technology such as sustainable aviation fuels, and source high-quality carbon offsets, the company said. SIA Group has pursued multiple projects in support of its sustainability goals even amid the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, the group completed the installation of solar panels on all of its office buildings in Singapore. This generates renewable energy that provides up to 18 percent of its electricity demand, or enough to power around 2,300 four-room apartments in Singapore for a year. In 2020, SIA rolled out a new regional Economy Class meal concept that offers increased food choices for customers. It features tableware comprising sustainable paper packaging and bamboo cutlery, reducing the amount of single-use plastics in the cabin. This packaging weighs 50 percent less, helping to lower fuel consumption. Everything from the tableware to the food waste will be sent to an eco-digestor to be converted to refuse-derived energy pellets that can replace fossil fuels and coal. “Today, the most effective and direct way for an airline to materially lower carbon emissions is by operating a young fleet of aircraft. The SIA group fleet has an average age of under six years, making it one of the youngest in the world. Over the last year, we have retired 45 older aircraft. We will be gradually replacing them with new-generation aircraft that are up to 30 percent more fuel efficient, and will substantially lower our emissions in coming years,” the company said in announcing the plan. Singapore Airlines has been a member of the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Users Group (SAFUG) since 2011. In 2017, SIA launched a series of green package flights from San Francisco to Singapore that incorporated sustainable aviation fuels, fuel-efficient aircraft and optimised air traffic management measures. https://asianaviation.com/singapore-airlines-group-commits-to-net-zero-carbon-emissions/ JetBlue founder's new airline to debut as travel revives Airline entrepreneur David Neeleman’s newest carrier will begin flying May 27 with an initial network of 16 cities, making it the year’s second U.S. startup looking to use discount fares to grab a piece of a much-anticipated resurgence in leisure travel. Breeze Airways started selling tickets Friday, and the first flights will connect Charleston, S.C.; Tampa, Fla.; and Hartford, Conn., according to a company statement. Fares start at $39 one way, and destinations will be added weekly through July 22 until the carrier reaches 39 routes. Neeleman, who founded JetBlue Airways Corp., is wagering that cheap, nonstop flights between carefully selected midsize cities will enable Breeze to carve out a market niche. But as airlines hammered by the coronavirus pandemic battle over returning travelers, Breeze is likely to face much tougher competition than JetBlue did when it expanded in 2002 as much of the industry was still reeling from the 9/11 terrorist attacks. “Even being wounded coming out of the pandemic, it’s totally diametrically different from a competitive standpoint,” said Dan Akins, an airline consultant at Flightpath Economics. “Then, carriers couldn’t respond. This is not that day. I don’t think they’re going to allow him to start up and start stealing customers from point-to-point service from the menagerie of competitive airlines out there.” Breeze will operate 13 single-class Embraer SA E190 and E195 aircraft initially, and start adding larger Airbus SE A220 planes with a premium cabin in October. It will focus most of its flights from Tampa, Charleston, New Orleans and Norfolk, Va. Frontier Airlines, which went public this year, and Spirit Airlines Inc. are two potential foes for Breeze, a unit of Salt Lake City-based Breeze Aviation Group Inc. Another is Allegiant Airlines, a deep discounter that caters to budget vacationers. The Allegiant Travel unit has expanded during the pandemic and now boasts a network stretching across 43 states. Neeleman, whose four previous startups include Canada’s WestJet Airlines and Brazil’s Azul, says the Allegiant model works — and can be replicated. Small markets will expand as low fares and more convenient flights entice consumers to travel more often. “Allegiant has been able to prove if somebody can go to a desirable destination, get there twice as fast and you don’t have to connect through a hub, and pay half as much or a significantly lower price, the market just gets bigger,” Neeleman said in an interview. As much as 95 percent of Breeze’s flights won’t have nonstop competition, meaning it shouldn’t become the target of larger rivals, Neeleman said. The 16 cities in its early network plans include Pittsburgh; Huntsville, Ala.; and Columbus, Ohio. Like Allegiant, Breeze will seek to operate flights when demand is highest, which means not flying every day of the week from each city. Avelo Airlines, led by Andrew Levy, a co-founder of Allegiant, started flying in April with a similar business model. But Avelo is initially focusing on the western U.S., while Breeze will mostly serve cities in the middle of the country and to the east. “The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the nation’s air service has meant many secondary and tertiary markets have seen a significant reduction in flights,” Neeleman said in the Breeze statement. “There are so many city pairs needing nonstop service around the country, we have a further 100 cities under consideration.” Geared to keeping a lid on costs, Breeze has a unique plan to employ full-time, online college students as young as 18 as part of its flight attendant corps. The company intends to offer low base fares, and a menu of additional products and services designed to pad profits, including a fee starting at $10 to select a seat and $20 for each bag beyond a single carry-on item, whether they’re checked or taken on board, when purchasing the lowest fare. The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, the world’s largest union for such employees, reiterated “serious concerns” over the Breeze student worker program in a letter Wednesday to U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and asked for a review of the airline’s certification to see if it complies with federal work-study rules and equal employment opportunity hiring laws. The union previously raised questions with Utah Valley University over the work-study program established with Breeze. UVU said the partnership didn’t use federal funds. Breeze will rely heavily on technology, with a mobile “super app” that lets travelers book, change or cancel reservations, and add or subtract bags, Neeleman said. The airline, adopting a “technology with kindness” mantra, won’t charge a fee to change or cancel reservations. Rental cars will be available on the app from the start, and Breeze plans to add hotel and event bookings later. Breeze’s technology, especially its app, are “the heart of the airline” Neeleman said. “The holy grail is to be able to change, cancel, all the functionality” for customers to be able to plan all phases of their trips. https://www.sentinelsource.com/news/economy/jetblue-founders-new-airline-to-debut-as-travel-revives/article_de70d53c-f865-5f0b-8ac7-5328af4ce7e8.html Alaska Airlines’ Sustainable Route To Electric Aircraft Alaska Airlines is seeking to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2040. With this in mind, it is looking at the utilization of electric aircraft. Nonetheless, the Seattle-based carrier needs to take crucial steps to work towards its targets. Simple Flying spoke with the airline’s director of sustainability, Kirk Myers, about his company’s measures. Electric avenue The airline prides itself on having a strong culture when it comes to values that tie into its goals. Therefore, the firm has been proactive when it comes to analyzing the future of the aviation industry. Notably, there are already certain segments where electric aircraft are expected to operate in fantastically. With Alaska Airlines connecting several communities, including remote ones, these planes may have a critical role in the future. “We are doing a lot of work investigating the whole space of hydrogen fuel cells as well as electric hybrids to understand how that might play a role. We believe it can play a strong role for the regional fleet moving forward. Obviously, a long timeline of that, but we think there are some great opportunities in that space,” Myers told Simple Flying. “Now it is about replicating that culture efficiency towards carbon, as part of our initial focus for the next couple of years. We can make a lot of progress with incredible carbon offsets if they’re needed, which they likely will be to some degree. We’re doing work to really pioneer and innovate in terms of what that can look like. Soon to be a reality Altogether there are great prospects in the electric aircraft scene. We recently reported about how magniX has made great progress with the testing of its electric propulsion systems. Now, the likes of Eviation are making significant strides with the completion of their programs. It may be many years for the technology involved in these vehicles to mature to be effective for larger aircraft on longer-distance operations. Nevertheless, there are high hopes for when it comes to smaller aircraft to be deployed on shorter distances in the short and medium-term. It may only be a few years away for when planes such as Eviation’s Alice enter service. However, many of these planes have a capacity as low as around nine passengers, which may not be sufficient enough for Alaska’s current model. Regardless, magniX is working on units that can fit on aircraft for up to 40 passengers. So, these planes could be perfect for certain regional operations across the conterminous United States’ northwest area and Alaska. Even last month, Alaska Airlines CEO Ben Minicucci shared that he feels eVTOL aircraft will be a reality this decade, and these vehicles could penetrate the regional market in the next 20 years. The initial focus So, while the industry awaits updates on the timeline of commercial aviation aircraft, sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) will play a huge part in the airline’s path moving forward. This is a field that Alaska has been a pioneer in for a decade. The carrier flew 75 test commercial test flights on SAF back in 2011, and since then, there has been great progress in the bid to prove SAF as safe and efficient. Myers explains that the motive is now shifting from pioneering, testing, and piloting SAF to using it on an ongoing basis to actually reduce environmental impact today. Last year, the company announced that it is offtaking Finland-based Neste’s SAF at San Francisco Airport. This fuel could bring an 80% carbon footprint reduction against conventional jet fuel. Continuing to lead Moreover, Alaska Airlines announced last month that it signed a partnership with SkyNR to advance sustainable aviation fuel made from municipal solid waste. Overall, the company is optimistic about SAF being produced in the Pacific Northwest in approximately the next five years. “We also have been very much focused on the policy side. Our policy team is working with the state of Washington, as well as at the federal level, to help show the case in why it makes so much sense to get additional financial support for SAF through different incentives or things like that to help jumpstart this market. Because we are really at that tipping point, that inflection point of seeing SAF start to scale very quickly,” Myers added. “We want to make sure that we are doing the work and finding that leadership from an Alaska perspective to make sure that happens and also make sure that that inflection point gets as steep as possible, or I think as much “SAFing” up as we possibly can. And so I’d say we’re very optimistic about SAF. There’s a lot of work to be done, and across some different dimensions of policy, continued technology development, and scaling.” So, it’s clear that Alaska is keen to modernize its fleet and resources to operate sustainably in the next few decades. In the near term, it is relying on SAFs being deployed on fresh aircraft such as the Boeing 737 MAX. However, electric aircraft will undoubtedly have a key role in the not-so-distant future amid notable advances in this field. https://simpleflying.com/alaska-airlines-sustainable-route-to-electric-aircraft/ AERION’S SUPERSONIC PLANS END WITH A WHIMPER RATHER THAN A BOOM Supersonic jet contender Aerion Corp is folding after failing to secure funding for its ambitious business aircraft. The Nevada-based company, which had been backed by Boeing, confirmed on Friday that it was abandoning plans to build a business jet that could fly faster than the speed of sound. It had previously put back the proposed launch date. “In the current financial environment, it has proven hugely challenging to close on the scheduled and necessary large capital requirements,’’ the company said in a statement. “Aerion Corporation is now taking the appropriate steps in consideration of this ongoing financial environment.” Aerion said earlier this year that its expected its AS2 supersonic jet, which planned to use a patented “boomless technology” and fly at Mach 1.4, to fly by 2024. GE Aviation was slated to supply the engines and the company had also worked in the past with Lockheed Martin and Airbus on the project. It had estimated it would cost $US4 billion to develop the AS2 and boasted about a $US11.2 backlog at about $US120 million per jet. This included a 20-jet deal with Berkshire Hathaway’s NetJets. Despite the decision to abandon the project, Aerion said it had created disruptive technologies and intellectual property while validating the market for supersonic travel. It said the AS2 had met all market, technical, regulatory and sustainability requirements. Boeing was initially an enthusiastic backer of Aerion but its support was pared back after the Boeing 737 MAX crisis and then the global COVID-19 pandemic plunged it into its worst-ever financial crisis. The aircurrent.com reported last year that Boeing and Sprit Aerosystems, another partner, had all but disbanded teams working on the AS2. “While we are disappointed Aerion could not secure additional funding to continue their work, we remain committed to working with innovative and creative partners who, like Aerion, continue to push limits on groundbreaking technology,” the US manufacturer told Bloomberg in a statement. Aerion was not the only manufacturer developing a supersonic aircraft: Denver-based Boom Supersonic is developing Mach 2.2 plane called Overture with a planned passenger capacity of 65-88 people. It said recently it hopes to introduce the aircraft by 2030. NASA is also working on quiet supersonic technology with an experimental aircraft called the X-59. The X-59 is testing technology that could reduce a sonic boom to the equivalent of car door closing and allow aircraft to fly supersonic over land. https://www.airlineratings.com/news/aerions-supersonic-plans-end-whimper-rather-boom/ SpaceX’s NASA Starship contract safe for now as Blue Origin looks to Congress Fresh off of a major contract loss during a competition to build NASA’s next crewed Moon lander, Blue Origin has begun aggressively lobbying Congress for the contract NASA didn’t give it. Thankfully, albeit not at first, a modification has been made to an amendment first proposed by a Senator that has long pursued favorable treatment of Blue Origin that will prevent that legislation – if it passes – from unfairly interrupting the $2.9 billion contract NASA already awarded SpaceX. Announced on April 16th, that award came as a shock, effectively cementing SpaceX’s lunar Starship as both the cheapest and most technically sound proposal to return humanity to the Moon. As such, although NASA made it clear that it would have selected two of the three competing proposals in a perfect scenario, Congress allocated just a quarter of the Human Landing System (HLS) funding NASA requested, forcing the agency between a rock and a hard place. NASA repeatedly stated as much both before and after the decision was announced, effectively implying that the agency had learned its lesson with the Commercial Crew Program, in which it had selected two redundant providers – Boeing and SpaceX – only for Congress to systematically underfund the program for years. As a direct result of years of underfunding during an early and formative period, both providers suffered at least 2-3 years of delays, followed by another few years of more organic delays as development matured and new challenges were unsurprisingly uncovered. Politically, NASA could never say that – effectively biting the hand that (under)feeds – out loud, but it was strongly implied in an official HLS source selection statement released to partially explain why it had chosen SpaceX and SpaceX alone. Almost instantly, both losing competitors – Blue Origin and Dynetics – filed protests with the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) filled with far more bizarre, rambling tangents than coherent legal arguments. Unless GAO operates on a different standard than the court of law or uncovers something nefarious behind closed doors, a close reading of both partially redacted protests does not bode well for either document’s ability to sway the office’s opinion. Almost as if Blue Origin itself is aware of just how frivolous its protest really is, the company – seemingly backed by partners Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, and Leidos – wasted no time lobbying Senator Maria Cantwell for an alternate avenue to get what it wants and the government money founder Jeff Bezos feels entitled to. Cantwell represents Washington State, where both Amazon and Blue Origin are headquartered, and has frequently spoken out in support of – or personally introduced – legislation that would specifically favor Bezos’ space company. On May 12th, Cantwell introduced an amendment that would purportedly “maintain competitiveness” by forcing NASA to select a second HLS winner in addition to SpaceX. Without irony, the authorization bill also demanded that NASA make that decision within a mere 30 days. Under those conditions, Congress would authorize $10 billion for NASA to develop and demonstrate two landers with an uncrewed and crewed Moon landing each – the original plan. Insultingly, Cantwell tacked that amendment onto an authorization bill, meaning that even if Congress were to pass the bill and the President were to sign it into law, Congress would still have to actually allocate that $10 billion in the form of a more than 10% boost to NASA’s annual budget. Historically, even if Congress were to defy all recent precedent and significantly boost NASA’s 2022 budget, there is no guarantee that that raise would be upheld for four or more years, which it would need to be for the authorization bill to be anything more than a hollow promise. More recently, a clause was thankfully added clarifying that NASA is not allowed to “modify, terminate, or rescind” SpaceX’s HLS contract to comply with the amendment. Additionally, while still amounting to a legal gun to NASA’s head to force it to into a contract it knows it cant afford, the modification gives NASA 60 days to award a second lander contract. Based on the agency’s own selection statement, Blue Origin’s National Team would almost certainly be the recipient in the event that the bill becomes law, forcing NASA to commit more than $9 billion – instead of $2.9 billion – to the next stage of HLS development with no guarantee that its budget will be raised accordingly. In the meantime, GAO still has to complete its reviews of Blue Origin and Dynetic’s protests and the White House has to submit its FY2022 budget request and consider adding NASA funding to its proposed jobs and infrastructure package. https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-nasa-starship-contract-blue-origin-meddling/ Curt Lewis